What Rae’s lacks in size and sleekness, it makes up for in character. Red, pint-sized booths and blue bar stools punch up the interior’s already cheerful turquoise backdrop. It has its midcentury touches—a slightly canted ceiling and clusters of globe pendant lamps over the counter—but the interior mostly feels down-to-earth. The exterior, on the other hand, is decidedly out of this world thanks to its glowing neon trim and Googie signage; we could stare at its artist's palette and boomerang-shaped marquee all night.
Rae’s has the feel of a diner that remains oblivious to the passing of time, including the shockingly low prices of its breakfast, lunch and dinner fare, which remain, for the most part, in the single digits throughout the menu. Known for their namesake, ½ pound burger, this is diner food to its core. The Denver Sandwich is an open-faced creation, with toast that holds a pepper-filled omelet and a thick, grilled slice of pineapple; your choice of potato salad or coleslaw comes on the side (get the potato salad). Fries are solid here—thick, lightly crunchy, and without an excessive amount of grease, which is quite possibly the only non-retro thing about this place.